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Mannequin and activist Sara Ziff filed a swimsuit in New York civil courtroom Thursday, alleging that she was raped as a teen by Fabrizio Lombardo, a former Miramax government as soon as described as Harvey Weinstein’s “hustler.”
The lawsuit was filed beneath new New York’s Grownup Survivors Act, which permits permits survivors of sexual violence to sue, no matter how way back the alleged crime was dedicated.
“At present I took an vital step towards searching for accountability and at last shifting in the direction of therapeutic. What occurred to me at 19 years previous was a catalytic second for my life’s work,” Ziff mentioned in an announcement on the lawsuit.
Ziff was a 19-year-old mannequin and aspiring actress when she met Lombardo in 2001, based on her swimsuit. Her agent really useful she attend a New York Metropolis screening of Black Hawk Down with Lombardo, who was then an government at Miramax. Lombardo instructed her that on the screening he might introduce her to Harvey Weinstein, who might probably assist her appearing profession.
On the screening, Weinstein “barely acknowledged her,” based on the swimsuit. Afterwards, Lombardo invited Ziff to the close by Mercer Lodge, promising that Weinstein could be there and Bob Weinstein may additionally be part of, the paperwork say.
“Ms. Ziff didn't know that what awaited her on the lodge was not the promised likelihood to debate her appearing profession with the Weinstein brothers, however a lure set by Mr. Lombardo to get Ms. Ziff alone and rape her,” the lawsuit states.
Once they obtained to the lodge, Ziff’s swimsuit claims, Lombardo led her as much as the penthouse suite. There, she “started to doubt that anybody else could be becoming a member of them.”
Lombardo started to make “unwelcome advances” in the direction of Ziff by rubbing her thigh, the swimsuit alleges, whereas she repeatedly pushed his fingers away.
“Determined to cease Mr. Lombardo from touching her, however afraid that she would possibly lose skilled alternatives if she offended him, Ms. Ziff made clear she was not focused on Mr. Lombardo by saying that she was flattered, however she had a boyfriend,” the swimsuit claims.
Lombardo then compelled Ziff onto the mattress and raped her as she repeated instructed him “no,” based on the swimsuit. When he was completed, Lombardo “mentioned that it was improbable that a lady Ms. Ziff’s age would discover a man of his age engaging,” the swimsuit alleges.
Within the weeks after the alleged rape, Lombardo invited Ziff to a few totally different conferences with, amongst others, Harvey Weinstein and trend photographer Patrick Demarchelier, the swimsuit claims.
“Ms. Ziff attended the conferences as a result of, amongst different causes, she feared that if she didn't, Mr. Lombardo would retaliate towards her through the use of his highly effective connections within the modeling and appearing industries—together with with Mr. Weinstein—to disclaim her work at an early stage in her profession,” based on the swimsuit.
Ziff can also be suing Miramax and Disney, claiming the businesses have been conscious of Lombardo and Weinstein’s habits, and the way the lads have been utilizing their positions to entice girls.
“Mr. Lombardo would by no means have been capable of rape Ms. Ziff if not for his place at Miramax and Disney,” the swimsuit claims.
Disney and Miramax didn't reply to requests for remark.
Harvey Weinstein can also be named as a defendant within the swimsuit.
“Sara Ziff will not be accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape nor does she allege that there was any sexual misconduct directed at her by Mr. Weinstein. Her allegations of rape are directed at Fabrizio Lombardo,” mentioned Imran H. Ansari, an lawyer for Weinstein, “Mr. Weinstein firmly denies that he has any legal responsibility for the alleged conduct of one other.”
On the time of Ziff’s alleged assault, Lombardo was an in depth pal of Weinstein’s and head of Miramax Italy. (Weinstein was finest man at Lombardo’s wedding ceremony in 2003.)
On the time, there was inner nervousness about Lombardo’s habits at Miramax, Elizabeth Dreyer, a former senior government at Miramax, instructed The New York Instances in 2017. She as soon as requested a room for Mr. Lombardo on the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, she instructed the newspaper, however was instructed that he was banned as a result of he “brings too many women.”
“That was type of an ‘ah-ha’ second for me,” she instructed the Instances. “I get what Fabrizio is about now. I get the connection.”
Lombardo got here beneath public scrutiny in 2017, after actor Asia Argento and fashions Samantha Panagrosso and Zoë Brock, alleged that Lombardo “procured” girls for Weinstein, luring them into personal conferences with the producer, who then assaulted them.
Argento instructed Selection that in the course of the 1997 Cannes Movie Pageant, Lombardo tricked her into going to Weinstein’s room on the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, the place she was later raped.
“Throughout this drive I keep in mind [Lombardo] type of touching my knee, not that he put his hand up my skirt, however pondering he had the license to the touch my knee as a result of I used to be sporting a brief gown, which I discovered repulsive,” Argento instructed Selection.
Australian mannequin Zoë Brock claimed that Lombardo tricked her into going to Weinstein’s personal lodge room at Cannes in 1997, the place the film mogul stripped bare and chased her across the room.
“I imagine he was a fixer for [Weinstein] and is liable for serving to procure girls,” she wrote in a 2017 weblog publish.
In 2017, the British movie director Nigel Cole tweeted about assembly Lombardo at a Weinstein lunch social gathering on the Cannes movie pageant in 2003.
“I requested him what he did for Harvey,” Cole wrote, “‘I’m his pimp,’ he ultimately replied.”
On the time, Lombardo vehemently denied the accusations that he acted as a fixer for Weinstein.
“I didn't hunt for him,” Lombardo instructed the Guardian in 2017. “It's not my type… it isn't my relationship with Weinstein,” he added.
Lombardo couldn't be reached for touch upon the brand new lawsuit.
Within the years for the reason that alleged rape, Ziff has by no means spoken publicly about Lombardo. However she has been an outspoken advocate for higher protections for fashions and trend employees. In 2012, she based the Mannequin Alliance, an advocacy group for higher labor circumstances for fashions and employees within the trend business.
(Ziff authored an opinion piece for The Every day Beast in 2022, arguing for higher labor protections for fashions.)
Following the bombshell allegations of the #Metoo motion, Ziff launched the Mannequin Alliance’s Respect Programme, through which 100 fashions known as on business leaders to signal a legally binding settlement to guard fashions from sexual harassment.